


Searches and Scarves

by deprough



Series: Dincember 2020 [6]
Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Dincember, Dincember 2020, F/M, Search and Rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:41:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28011819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deprough/pseuds/deprough
Summary: Corrie and Mando are able to join the hunt for the missing teens.
Relationships: Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV) & Din Djarin, Din Djarin/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Dincember 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2032882
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	Searches and Scarves

**Author's Note:**

> This is part six of Dincember. You'll want to read the series in order so that everything makes sense.
> 
> 12/11/2020 Dincember prompt - "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"

As soon as dawn broke, Mando and Corrie forced their way through the snow back to town. The gurts were done in by the time they exited the last snow bank onto the cleared road in town, and Corrie dismounted to lead Curse in by hand. Mando followed her lead, silent as always.

The jail still smoked, though the gray plume that stained the sky signaled that the fire was about spent. Handing the reins of the beasts off to a waiting teen, Corrie and Mando went to the catina. The local hangout had been changed into the search party headquarters, though right now it was empty of people. Only Kend, her oldest deputy and so the one usually regulated to administrative work, waited for them. “Where are we at?” she asked. 

Kend nodded a greeting to her. Blue light shone on his steel-gray hair as he led her over to a holomap. Search grids had been laid out and assigned, and Corrie pointed at the next grid to be searched. “I’ll take that one,” she said. 

“Wait.” Mando reached over her shoulder and traced an arc over the furthest grid areas. “I have a ship. We could cover those easily today with the  _ Crest _ .”

“That’d be a big help,” Corrie said, smiling at him. With him so close to her back, she was acutely aware of his presence.

“Glad to help.” The sincerity in his voice warmed her to her toes, and then that warmth spread to more delicate body parts when he added, “You gonna fly with me?”

_ I’ll fly with you anytime, _ she thought before she could stop herself. Nodding quickly, she said, “Let’s go find those kids.”

His ship was buried, but once they cleared the ramp, Mando just lifted off and let the wind whip the rest away from the  _ Crest _ . Inside, Corrie blinked at the sparse nature of the ship, it’s utilitarian feel. “You need a few blankets, or something bright in here,” she observed as he piloted toward the search area.

“Why?” he asked, but she got the feeling that he knew exactly what she meant.

“Because you do.” Unwinding her scarf, she put it over his shoulders and then looped it around his neck once. “There, a bit of color,” she told him. “Early Lifeday gift.”

His hand rose to the bright yellow knitting, but he didn’t remove it. “I haven’t had one of these in a while,” he said softly.

“A scarf?” Corrie asked, her eyebrow rising.

“A Lifeday gift,” he replied.

“Oh.” Corrie frowned and picked up The Kid, taking his spot on the seat. As she held his son on her lap, she asked softly, “Why don’t you like Lifeday?”

“It’s not that I don’t like it. My parents, my first family, they were killed on Lifeday.” He spoke casually, but his intense focus on the controls belied his calm. “It’s just bad memories.”

“It's never just bad memories. My husband died in one of my family’s fields, not far from our barn.” Corrie swallowed, letting her vision come to rest on the endless blue sky outside the front viewport. Better those skies than the internal vision of memory. “I’ve never gone back there. Not even to help with the spring shearing.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry for your parents, too,” she said. “Hey, Lifeday’s about a week away. Even if we’ve wrapped this up, you and your son are welcome to stay through the holiday.”

“That might not be safe,” he replied.

“That’s life on the Outer Rim.” Corrie shrugged. “You don’t have to, but the invitation stands. I know we’re all grateful for what you’ve done for us, and we’d love to have you stay.”

He was quiet for a long moment. “I’ll think about it,” he said.

Corrie left it at that. He’d stay or he wouldn’t, and that’s what it would be. They arrived in the search area and started to slowly fly over in a grid pattern. At lunchtime, they munched on rations -- separately, of course. 

Right as she finished chewing, Koda’s voice rang over her comm. “Hey, boss, you read?”

“I do, give me some good news,” she told him. In the seat in front of her, Mando turned his head toward her. 

“We found Scerr and Lindi. They were holed up in a shelter not far from the bikes,” Koda reported. “They’re both cold, and Lindi broke an arm when her bike failed suddenly, but Herz thinks they’ll be okay.”

“What about Kuna?” she asked, her heart sinking. He was a quiet, soft-hearted young man, and had the kind of personality that meant if his two friends went haring off after the criminals in an ill-conceived posse, he’d go only to watch after them.

“When the bikes froze over, Kuna got them into the shelter and then started to walk back to town.” Koda sighed heavily. “We’re not going to stop looking.”

“Do we know he went the right way?” Corrie asked.

“Scerr and Linda say yes, but…” Koda trailed off and she could visualize his helpless shrug. 

“Mando and I will start checking that area from above,” Corrie said, glancing at Mando, who nodded once. “Keep in touch.”

“Yes, boss. Good luck.”

Mando changed course and headed for the new search area. They worked in silence, moving back and forth over the land. It was familiar land to Corrie, even encased in snow like it was right now. The familiarity didn’t help with her current search; Kuna had known these parts just as well, and if he hadn't gotten lost, he should have already been home. 

“There,” Mando said, pointing. “What’s that?”

“I…” Corrie squinted. “It’s something red. Clothing, or something. How low can you get?”

He steered the ship lower. “I think it’s a scarf. I can’t land -- there’s no room there.”

Someone had tied two tree limbs together in an ‘X’, using the scarf to secure it. “You’re right.” Corrie pulled out her communicator. “Koda, come in.”

“Yes, boss?”

She read off the coordinates from Mando’s viewscreen, then said, “Send search teams there.” The snow behind the ‘X’ shifted and pushed out, and Kuna stuck his head out of the hole he’d made. He waved at the  _ Crest _ , and Mando wobbled the ship in acknowledgement. “Koda, I see him! He’s okay!”

“We’ll stay over him until they get here,” Mando said softly.

Corrie put a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you. This town really owes you now.”

“You’re welcome.”

It took time, but gradually the party arrived, dug Kuna out of the shelter he’d made for himself, and got him wrapped in blankets. Once they were sure that the teen was safe, Mando piloted his ship back toward town. This time, Corrie had him set down behind the house, just to save the walk. 

Word had spread that they were coming back, and a group gathered as they set down the  _ Crest _ . When he stepped out of the ship, a small crowd started to cheer. Mando drew back a little, and Corrie waved her hands. “Alright, alright,” she hollered. “Don’t crowd us.”

Hexa Tane pushed forward and threw her arms around the Mandalorian, who immediately stiffened into the pose of Someone Who Did Not Want To Be Touched. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she sobbed into his armor. “My boy is home because of you!”

“Come on, Hexa.” Corrie gently pried Kuna’s mother off their guest. “Let him breathe.” It took some doing, but she coaxed the townsfolk away. “See?” she said when she’d finally cleared them. “Our hero.”

“I’m not. I’m just helping out.”

“Mando.” Corrie stood in front of him, put her hands on her hips, and said, “Kuna’s family has their son home for Lifeday instead of having to plan a funeral. We’ve already got eleven in this town, and you prevented a twelfth. Stop being modest. You have made a difference to our village.” She grinned slily and added, “But I will try to keep them from erecting a statue in your honor. It’d just be tacky.”

She sensed he was rolling his eyes at her, but she wasn’t sure he was really that upset at her. She patted him on the arm, and let him be -- though she was more and more determined to convince him to stay and celebrate Lifeday with them.


End file.
